National Republican., 1887-03-16
DISCUSSING PROHIBITION.
Wines and Liquors as Medicine and as
n Beverage.

question Oh prOnlDluon Is Delng hBiS"Veu ~
the present day. Being thoroughly free as
10 its public institutions, this country also
naturally aims at the highest civilization,
because freedom and education OF right are
urd always win be true and inseparable
companions. But Is prohibition demanded
by civilization and In harmony with the
fundamental laws OF this country granting
and guaranteeing every American the full
enjoyment of his natural rights9 The follow
ing lines, which beg leave to offer you for
publication In your valuable newspaper,
will be devoted TO an answer to this ques-
tion;
laws forbidding the manufacture and sale
of spirtuous beverages, as wine, beer,
whisky, and so forth, ond enforcing total
abstinence from such beverages, except for
mtdical purposes.
The beverages named are products OF
civilization, having been Invented and be.
inr manufactured and used by civilized
nations. 1t is we'll known fact, that in
the old world the nations using those
beverages are intellectually brighter and
rank higher In their achievements as to
civilization than the nations do that are
not using them. Poets represent the high
est type Of the civilization Of nation.
But the noblest and most famous poets OF
all ages and Of the most civilized nations
were pralsing wine, because 1t physically
benefited them. From this fact It is also
to be seen that wine is the spirituous bever-
age, outranBing all the Others as to their
value and usefulness for the hnman system.
The Declaration OF Independence is the
original fundamental law OF the United
Ststes. 1t was agreed upon aud promul-
gated to the world by the continental con-
gress, q competent law. giving body, and II,
by a categorical dictum, having the form
and character Of fundamental law, has
created this country bs one OF the political
divisions Of the earth. This fundamental
law recognizes for this country the natural
rights Of man. 1t saye: 1--WE hold these
truths to be self.evident-that all men are
created equal; that they are endowed by
their Creator with certain inalenable rights;
that among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit OF happiness; that to secure these
rights governments are instituted among
men, deriving their just powers from the
consent Of the governed" Everybody
knows that mans happiness, more or less,
dependsupon his physical well being Again,
his physical well.being greatly depends
upon what he eats and drinks. Every man
therefore, in this country, has an inalien.
able right to pursue his happiness by eating
and drinking, according to his own taste,
what he pleases, provided bis means allow
him to do so. Thus twill be seen that any
law of any state of the Union preventing
man from drinking what physically benefits
him is violation Of his natural rights, the
enjoyment Of which is granted and guaran-
teed him by the Declaration of Independ-
eDce. Spirituous beverages, like other bev-
erages are nothing but liquid food. Com
mon sense, therefore, teaches that they
should be used only to nourish and to re-
fresh, and not, by dissipation, to ruin the hu-
man body. As well, however, as the prohbi.
ZIONIST has O natural right to refresh himself
by drinking cold, fresh water (salt water
nt,nnr 20 r,f tl,a Inr\ fha
non. prohibitionist has natural right to do
so by drinking any spirituous beverage
suitiDg his taste. This, at least, seems to
be the idea of the Declaration of Independ-
ence, and also of the constitution OF the
United States.
The latter, in its preamble, says: eve,
the people OF the United States, In order to
ice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for
tie common defense, promote tho general
welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterlty, do ordain
and establish this constitution for the
United States Of America" Any American,
therefore, drinking spirituons beverages, to
be physically benefited thereby, makes use
OF the personal or individual liberty granted
and guaranteed him by this fundamental
law.
Prohibitory laws Of this country forbid
only the manufacture and sale Of spirituous
beverages. But this prohibition includes
also prohibition of their use. Where such
beverages are neither manufactured nor
sold they, as a rule, can also not be drunk.
Prohibitory laws OF this country permit the
use Of spirituous beverages as medicines
when prescribed by physicians and bought
at drug stores. But In this Gland of the
free and home Of the brave" every man is
entitled to be as well his own doctor, as his
own lawyer, or his own clergyman, and to
hoea m al iatn u N ha plnnepc
and not only at registered drug stores.
That clause, therefore, renders prohib-
itoIy law either twice wrong or ludicrous.
Spirituous beverages are frequently called
intoxicapts. Every one Of them, 1t Is true,
contains alcohol ard is Intoxicating, IL used
to excess. But none of them is SO by itself.
They all contain more or less water, which,
as matter Of course, is not intoxicating.
II has never been proved that spirituous
beverages decently and sensibly used and,
II OF good and pure quality, are Injurious
to the health Of man, or poisonous. On the
contrary the men using them In proper
manner claim to be physically benefited by
the same. 1t must be said, however, that
cold, fresh water is the cheapest and health
lest Of all beverages.
II anywhere, in this free country, q man
is entitled to use the gifts OF nature for his
own benefit or for that Of others, as he sees
fit and chooses. He has natural right to
manufacture wine Of grapes, beer of bar
ley and hops, whisky OF corn or rye, and
SO forth. He has also an inalienable right
either to use those beverages himself or tc
give them away gratuitously or to sell
them. These rights follow from the pas.
cages quoted of the Declaration OF lnde
pendence, and Of the constitution OF the
United States.
The prohibltionists assert that the use Of
spirituous beverages may lead man to the
poorhouse. This is true. Those beverages
are only luxuries, not necessaries Of life
and cold fresh water quenches the thirst
just as well as they do, II not better. A
man, therefore, who cannot afford to pay
for them, should not use those beverages
Yet, If man is not kept out of the poor
house by industry and self respect, he will
hardly be kept out OF 1t by prohibitorS
laws.
The prohibitionists further say that the
use Of spirituous beverages frequently
leads to crime. 1t is true that a great
many murders are committed In this coun
try by intoxicated men. But is the cir
cumstance that they carry concealed pistols
In their hip pockets not as much {
cause Of their murderous deeds as thel
intoxication
AS to carrying concealed weapons, th,
American people are perhaps the bes
armed nation In the world In Europe tn,
chief political cry is disarmament OF tht
heFeIai countries us W Iuer sIanuins
armies, and in the United States the princi
pal social demand shonld be individual dis
armament Of those carrying concealed
weapons. Drunkenness can never be mad
lawful excuse for any crime or mlsle
meanor. On the contrary, the drunkarC
should always be us severely punished TO
any wrong or violation OF law committed
by him while drunk as II he had been per
fectly sober.
The constitution Of the United States, II
article vi, says; "This constitution, ant
the laws of the United States which shal
be made in pursuance thereof, and al
treaties made, or which shall be made
under the authority of the United States
shall be tho suDreme law OF the land, AM